2011/06/26

Slightly Somber Solstice

One of our fav SB events is the annual Summer Solstice parade. It’s fun for all ages, starting with chalk art on the street while the patient crowd waits for the festivities to arrive.

1416 Small World

Unlike most people who stake out a prime spot somewhere along the route, we like to counter-walk it starting near the park. A drawback is that by the time it reaches us some of the people pushing heavy levity (all floats are human-powered) up State St. are starting to wear themselves out.

1443 No Horsepower

Brightly-costumed kids in some of the floats had wilted a little too.

1446 Faded Fun

Some observers were perhaps more removed from it all, watching from their balconies.

1453 Academic Interest

Anne seemed quite interested in the Tarzan float, perhaps because his physique reminds her of me.

1458 For Jane

Mostly we love the kids, both in the parade and on the sidelines, because it’s all so fanciful.

1459 Radiation Cautionary Tale

Each year there’s a “theme” and it can be fun figuring out what a particular parade float or performer is trying to express. Of course, some are familiar characters like this airplane circling Kong when he danced with the Empire State as part of the ensemble above.

1461 Red Baron & Kong

At the end of the parade is a giant inflated abstract shape, often with a dancer inside, that leads everyone from their seats along the parade in a musical dancing procession up to the massive park. The audience becomes the parade.

1490 People's Parade

It’s all play, dance, music, colors, shapes and performance. An exuberant feast of art with everyone an artist. At the 3-block park complex there are several excellent musical performances with floats parked around the perimeter where people can interact more closely with them and any performers who haven’t yet mingled into the festive crowd milling around the booths, crafts, displays and food/beverage/snack offerings.

1501 Greeting Her Fans

At the most distant of the three parks people rest on the lawn at the pond where fish, turtles and ducks entertain the kids at a more relaxed pace.

1507 Slowing Down

So did this year’s parade have a slight somber note, or is it that we’re a little tired still from our trip?